Six Flags Great America gets ready to debut "The Joker"

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The Joker is Six Flags Great America's newest roller coaster and it debuts to the public this weekend.

Standing at 120 feet high, the free fly coaster travels at speeds of up to 53 miles per hour.

It is the park's 15th coaster, but the first that is both 4-D and Free-Flying.

"There are some electro-magnetic that cause the ride the ability to flip," explained Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America President

"You're actually facing the people you are riding with, riding outside of the track, flipping 360 degrees and about to control the intensity yourself by how you lean and  move forward and backward in the ride, it makes it unique and different, it's unlike any of the other 14 coasters in the park," Salemi said.

With seats placed on both sides of the tracks, riders can choose what type of experience they want.  Park officials tell CBS 58 that one side is more extreme than the other. 

But no ride, even in the same seat is ever the same.  Salemi said that you could ride the Joker once and flip 6 times, and the next time you can ride you'll flip 10 more times.

"The ride is incredible, it's nice and smooth," said Jeffrey Peters who got to ride the Joker early.

"You don't really know what to expect. You think you know what you are going to expect but it just completely surprises you," Peters said.

Six Flags had to reconfigure the park so the Joker could sit right next to his arch nemesis' coaster, Batman.

The Joker opens to the general public on Saturday. Park goers who purchase a commemorative t-shirt can ride it early Thursday from 4-6. Season Pass holders can also get a sneak pack of the ride all day on Friday.


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